Saturday, 15 July 2017

This week we are going to look at some of the most hunted animals in the world, I do not agree with hunting and it sucks to see how many animals have died due to this act!

1. Pangolin - Manidea sp.

Over the past decade, more then one million pangolins have been illegally trafficked, making it the most trafficked animal in the world! one specie, (Manis pentadactyla) has become extinct because of over hunting. In August 2016, a man was arrested because he had 650 dead Pangolins in his freezer!!

Here are some interesting facts about the pangolin

A Pangolin's tongue can be larger that it's body when fully extended!

An average Pangolin will eat around 60 million insects a year!

Pangolins are the only mammals in the world covered in scales!

2. Siberian tiger - Panthera altaica

It is estimated the wild population of Siberian tigers is around 400-450! Almost all wild Siberian tigers live at the southeast corner of Russia. They can also be found in northeastern china. The Siberian tiger is the largest of it's specie growing up to 4 meters in length (13 feet). They are considered critically endangered because of hunting and habitat loss from intense logging

Here are some interesting facts about the Siberian tiger

The Siberian tiger is the largest cat in the world!

Apparently the Siberian tiger will only roar during mating season!

Siberian tigers hunt alone, but will share there meals with other tigers!

3. African Bush Elephant - Loxodonta africana

In 1900 there were approximately 10 million of these animals, today their total number is estimated at around 300,000! Most of the elephants killed today are linked to illegal poaching. In some places it is legal to hunt elephants; South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania. The African bush elephant is the most endangered animal in Africa

Here are some facts about the African Bush Elephant

The African Bush Elephant is the largest and heaviest land mammal on earth!

Sunday, 2 July 2017

Organisms in my Garden - Wolf spider spp.

Location

I found it sitting on a white flower, probably waiting for a big juicy bee to come by.

What is it?

Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae. They are robust hunters with excellent eyesight.

They normally live and hunt alone. They will bounce on their prey and sometimes even chase them.

Wolf spiders carry their eggs in sacks, that are carried on their backs. The spiders are normally around 10-35 mm in length. They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. They will inject venom if harassed. if you get bitten with venom the symptoms will include: swelling, mild pain and itching. BUT it depends on what type of wolf spider. Most the species are completely harmless.

What do they eat?

In the wild, a wolf spider will eat almost any prey smaller than himself that comes nearby.

Sunday, 25 June 2017

They are extremely small, around the size of a golf ball, but don't let the size fool you, they are defiantly one of the deadliest animals on this planet, one blue ringed octopus holds enough venom to kill 26 fully grown men and the worst thing is, there is no antidote! If you get stung, you will be completely paralyzed and unable to breath within 2 to 3 minutes!

4. Hippopotamus - Hippopotamus amphibius

Although they are mostly herbivorous, they are also highly aggressive and are defiantly the most dangerous animal in Africa, they kill over 3,000 people every year. They are also the 3rd largest land mammals alive, after the Elephant and Rhinoceros!

3. Saltwater Crocodile - Crocodylus porosus
The Saltwater crocodile is known to kill up to 300 people a year, just in Africa. It is the largest crocodile specie on this planet, growing up to 23 feet long and weighing more than 2,000 pounds
It has been known for them to eat monkeys, buffalo,wild boar, and sharks! They can live up to 70 years in the wild!

2. African Elephant - Elephantidae sp.
African elephants are the largest land living mammal in the world! They are highly aggressive when felt threatened, and have been known to trample a Rhinoceros to death! They kill around 500 people a year! They are also the heaviest land mammals alive weighing up to 10,000 kg!

1. Mosquito - Culicidae sp.

Killing over 1 million people every year, defiantly makes mosquitoes the deadliest animal on this planet! The majority of these deaths are due to malaria. Mosquitoes have an extremely small life span, males only live up to 10 days and females up to 56!

Thursday, 16 February 2017

The panda ant isn't actually an ant, it's a wasp!
Although it looks cute,it's sting is extremely painful. It has been known to kill animals up to two pounds with just 6 stings! These Insects are mainly found around Chile and Mexico.

2. Vampire Spider - Atrax sutherlandi

The Vampire spider, is the rarest spider alive, it only lives in Australia.They live in a underground tunnel waiting for anything smaller then it's
self to fall in!

1. Tree Lobster - Dryococelus australis

Scientists believed this bug was extinct in the 1920's,but they have recently discovered them again. They are found between New Zealand and Australia, The Tree lobster is so rare that scientist are trying to breed more then 10,000 of this specific bug!

Sunday, 5 February 2017

The Green anaconda Is a non-venomous Boa species, found in south America. It is one of the heaviest and one of the longest snakes in the world, growing up to 6 meters long, males are much smaller and only grow to 4 meters. The heaviest Green anaconda recorded was 227 kg!! and 8.8 meters long! Most of there time is spent in the water hunting for food such as: Fish, Birds, Wild pigs, and sometimes caimans -Reptiles similar to crocodiles!! They have also been known to eat jaguars!!!

2. Burmese Python - Python bivittatus

The Burmese python Is a non-venomous snake. It grows up to 7 meters long! They also spend a lot of there time in water, and can stay submerged for up to 30 minutes before surfacing for air. They mainly feed on birds and small mammals. Females usually lay up to 100 eggs which they incubate for two or three months.

3. Reticulated Python - Python reticulatus

The Reticulated Python is by far the largest snake in the world growing up to 9-10 meters long! It is also a non-venomous species, Females are larger then males.They have been known to eat people! They love to eat: Pigs, Deer and Birds. At breeding time the females lay around 80 eggs. They are well known for hanging around water.

4. African Rock Python - Python sebae

This Is Africa's largest snake growing up to 7 meters long, It is a non-venomous specie.
They love to eat: Monkeys, Antelopes, Fruit bats, Monitor lizards and even Crocodiles!!
This snake has also been known to eat people! They live around 12 years and even longer in captivity! It also likes being around the water and will spend most of it's time by a lake or river.

Sunday, 29 January 2017

The Black mamba Is Africa's largest venomous snake, It is also the fastest snake in the world. It is also the 2nd largest snake in the world! They kill around 10,000 people are year! And are highly aggressive when threatened. They can grow up to 4 meters long!

3. Blue Krait - Bungarus candidus

The Blue krait is one of the most venomous snakes in the world, It loves to eat other snakes!
Believe it or not, one bite from this snake is enough to kill you! Apparently it's venom is 15 times deadlier then the Cobra's. 50% of the bites from this snake are fatal even with the antivenin!

2 . Eastern Brown Snake - Pseudonaja textilis

This snake is considered the 2nd most venomous snake in the world, The Eastern brown snake is responsible for 60% of deaths caused by snake bites in Australia. It feeds on: Frogs, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals.

1. Inland Taipan - Oxyuranus microlepidotus

The Inland Taipan is the most venomous snake in the world! One bite can kill 100 grown men!
It only eats mammals, it's favorite thing to eat is a rat.

Monday, 9 January 2017

1. Fire salamanders have an extremely long life span, one specimen lived for more then 50 years in a German natural history museum!

2. Fire Salamanders are amphibians that look like a cross between a frog and a lizard.

3. Salamanders live all around the world but the United states has the largest number of different salamander families.

4. Fire Salamanders are nocturnal animals, and love to go out searching for slugs after it has rained.

5. Female Fire salamanders are a lot bigger then males, and sometimes they can grow up to twice the size of a male!

6.There is an old European legend saying that these salamanders are capable of tolerating fire. People believed that salamanders in general had the ability to withstand fire as they were often seen crawling out of logs that were put onto the fire!

7. The Fire salamander is one of the only salamanders that gives birth to larvae and not eggs.

8. As Fire salamanders grow, they will shed their old skin and eat it!